Dear Winkler,
In the three years since move back to Winkler I’ve built friendships and connections with numerous people including many recent immigrants living throughout our Pembina Valley region. Many of these newcomers have entrusted me with honest conversations about their experiences in their new home.
One sad theme I’ve heard in those conversations is that visible minorities often experience Winkler as less welcoming. As I’ve talked with people about their experiences, we’ve even noticed how darker skin seems to increase the chance of the person not feeling welcome.
I don’t mean to set southern Manitoba communities against each other, but I’m told people’s experiences are more welcoming in neighbouring cities and towns.
This doesn’t mean that everyone in Winkler is unwelcoming and ever minority has bad experiences here, but there are enough stories and experiences for people to say this unwelcome feeling is a real thing.
I’m very aware of Winkler’s (and my) Russian Mennonite roots. One thing that has been highlighted for me since my return is that one of the inherited traits of this tradition is a distrust of outsiders. Our Russian Mennonite history is one of defining ourselves as separate from “them”. Even in my youth I heard of distrust of the “Englischer” meaning any white person who was not one of us. This community has a deep legacy of distrust (see pandemic response, see library controversy, etc.). This distrust of outsiders may have served some self-preservation needs for a persecuted community, but today the distrust mostly lingers as unwarranted fear and discrimination.
And now that fear and distrust is being directed at newcomers. I’m appalled at the most recent story of three men violently assaulting a newcomer on a Winkler street - the street where I grew up and where I now live. This kind of racist hate and violence doesn’t arise out of nowhere. This is shameful. Yes Winkler, you have a racism problem.
With so many churches in this community surely we all know of God’s call to welcome all.
Leviticus 19: 33-34 “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
And we know that all people are created in the image of God. We know from Abraham’s experience providing hospitality to strangers that we are to welcome everyone as if they might be messengers from God.
Heb. 13:2 “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
We know that in Christ all divisions have been eliminated so how can we live as if this isn’t true?
Gal. 3:28 “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” How many of us as children sang “red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight”?
While we many no longer use that particular language, the sentiment still stands. How can we hate our sisters and brothers who are precious in God’s sight. This is shameful.
We as Mennonites, Christians, people of any faith, and no faith are called to a welcome that does not include racism, fear, and violence.
Dear Winkler, I have been privileged to see and experience the best of you. This town is filled with people who do much to show their care for and support of others. The current Faces of Winkler exhibit at Winkler Arts & Cultures displays some wonderful and welcoming cross-cultural relationships that exist in this town. I know your heart is good, but some hurdles remain for you to overcome. I encourage you to set aside your fear and distrust.
The influx of newcomers to Winkler has made this city a more vibrant and exciting place to live. We have a wonderful opportunity to grow and strengthen as individuals and as a community as we welcome and embrace all who call this place home.
Yours truly, and hopefully
Kevin